How to Own Your Time

Learn how to own your time and free up more hours for the things most matter to you. This article will teach you how to save time, be productive, and achieve your goals.

Your time is your most precious resource. We all have the same number of minutes daily, but our productivity levels vary wildly. Some people do so much daily, while others struggle to accomplish even one thing. But when it comes down to it, we all have 24 hours a day and 168 hours per week—and we can own that time however we choose. Here are some tips for how you can take back control of your schedule:

Take back your commute.

• You can use your commute to catch up on work. If you have work meetings or project deadlines during the week, you quickly fall behind and feel pressured. If that happens every month, you may not have time to do any fun things you want to do in life! So take advantage of those extended commutes by listening to podcasts or audiobooks.

• Or listen to music instead of working—make sure it's something upbeat so that your mood stays positive while everyone else is stressed out and grumpy after a day at work (or school).

• You can also exercise during your commute! See if there are any gyms near where you live that offer discounted memberships for people who go from home—and if not, consider getting some workout gear so that when it comes time for a long drive/walk/ride share with friends/family members again this summer vacation season (or whenever), instead of feeling tired and unproductive like last year because all those extra calories made themselves known when it came time for bikini season.

Take charge of meetings.

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The first step to owning your time is taking charge of all your meetings. It's essential to plan and prepare for every meeting and ensure a clear agenda. If a forum doesn't have a clear purpose, don't go!

• Don't run late for your meetings. It shows that you're not organized and makes everyone else late too.

• Keep the meeting short—no longer than 15 minutes if possible (this may be hard if you're working with people who like to talk). Be sure that everyone knows their role in planning this meeting so they can help keep things moving along quickly.

• Have a plan ready before each meeting starts—it should be written down on paper because most people won't remember what they talked about during an hour-long conversation two weeks later; also, make sure there isn't anything else that needs to be addressed before ending the discussion (which is usually accessible once everyone agrees on something).

Embrace solitude.

There are several ways you can embrace solitude. First, you must understand the importance of quiet time (both alone and with your family).

You need to set aside a specific time when you can recharge your batteries and revitalize yourself.

Being alone can be good for your mental health because it allows us to reflect on our lives and take stock of our thoughts.

Say no, then repeat it.

You're busy. Everyone is. But as you work to become more intentional about your time, you must also be intentional about saying no.

You can save yourself a lot of grief by knowing which things you don't want to do, then saying so—and repeating it if necessary.

Say no when:

• The request will take up too much time in the long run (e.g., "I'd love to help out with this one-off project, but doing so will mean taking away from my other priorities").

• You don't have the skills required for the task (e.g., "I don't know how to code/design/write").

• The assignment doesn't align with your values (e.g., "I won't write an article promoting x brand because I believe it's harmful").

You can take back control of your time, even with a busy schedule.

You can take back control of your time, even with a busy schedule. Here's how:

• Learn to prioritize your time. To regain control of your life and schedule, you need to figure out what matters to you. The key is learning how to say no—and knowing when it's okay to say no. And don't forget: saying yes doesn't always mean doing something! Sometimes it means just getting better organized, so things get done on time instead of being late or rushed at the last minute.

• Learn how (and when) it makes sense for others around you—like friends, family members, or co-workers—to help by taking some responsibility for themselves, too; once they see how much better things go, everyone pitches in their fair share, then everyone wins!

Conclusion

We all know what it's like to be busy. But if we're not careful, our busyness can become a way of life, with no time for ourselves or loved ones. We must take back control of our time and make sure it's spent wisely—and hopefully, this article helped you do just that! There are many ways to own your time, but here at The Motley Fool, we believe there is no better way than investing in your financial future. So go out there and get started on your retirement plan today!

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